21 March, 2024

Upgraded playground proves a hit

Hanging out… Esmeralda Touchaud (left), aged 11, with the Donaldson siblings, Caleb, 8, and Juno, 11, at the opening of the upgraded Allenby Reserve playground

Local families gave a thumbs-up to the upgraded Allenby Reserve playground in Devonport last week, turning out in force for an opening evening made tastier with sausages cooked up by the 1st Devonport Scouts Group.
Years in the planning, the $150,000 playground is around four times larger than it was and features a wider range of climbing equipment. It has been relocated away from the road and boggy ground.
“It’s much more adventurous and covers a different age group,” said scout leader Cliff Brown. The scouts, who have their den on the reserve, were asked for ideas from Auckland Council early on, he said.
Reserve neighbour Melanie Kingston, who has children aged four and eight, said: “I think it’s great because it caters for older children – they usually miss out.”
Another parent, Iain Butler, said kids were thrilled with the reserve, which he visited often due to having two boys at Cubs and Scouts.
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chair Toni van Tonder said the playground used a lot of timber, rather than plastics, for natural play features and it had a section with a permeable surface that allowed wheelchair access to a roundabout and to bucket swings.
She hoped the upgrade might encourage people to consider booking the Scout den for children’s parties.